Otto heinzelman



(No Model.)

0. HEINZELMAN.

SIDE BAR VEHIGLE.

Patented P887, 1888.

S Wvcm-toz N. PETERS, Phow-Lnnn ru her. Washington. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO HEINZELMAN, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO J. E. THOMAS, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,382, dated February 7, 1888.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Orro HEINZELMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Belle ville, in the county of St. Clair and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Side-Bar Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in side-bar vehicles, and has for its objects to form the side bars and bolster in one piece with a bent or curved portion forming a bearing and brace for the upper leaf of the fifthwheel; second, to improve the construction of the fiftlrwheel; and, further, to afford simple and efficient means for securing the side bars to the rear axle.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing objects the invention consists in the construction and the combination of parts hereinafter particularly described, and then sought to be specifically defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which- Figure l is a perspective of the invention attached to the axles of a vehicle, a portion of the bolster plate or bar being broken away. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line mm of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of the top and bottom leaves of the fifth-wheel.

The side bars (designated by the letter A) are made from metal or other suitable material of any desired thickness, and at their forward ends are connected together by a plate, B, preferably made integral with said bars, being a continuation thereof and constituting the bolster-plate or head-block of the vehicle. This bolster-plate, at the proper point between the side bars, is formed with a forwardly-extending bend or curve, C, which will form a bearing and brace for the upper leaf of the fifth-wheel and practically form a part thereof.

The upper leaf, D, of the fifth-wheel is given substantially the same bend or curve as the bolster-plate, and'extends forward of a plate or bar, E, which is formed with an extension or car, F, for the passage of a king-bolt. The upper leaf is secured by suitable means -say by rivets a-to the bolster-plate B. The lower leaf, D, is formed, similarly to the upper leaf, with a bar or plate, E, and extension or car F, and is secured by suitable means-efor instance, by bolts Gto the front axle, H. The two leaves are secured together, so that one will turn upon the other by means of a king bolt, I, passed through the ears of the two leaves. For the purpose of more securely guarding against one leaf being separated from the other, a clip, J, is made to embrace the extension of the bolster-plate and the lower leaf, and is secured to one of them by means of a rivet or otherwise.

If the continuation of the bars A be divided at the curve, as it may be for convenience in making, the clip J will be secured by two rivets, one on each side of the dividing-line, as shown in Fig. 1. The rear ends of the side bars rest upon the rear axle, H, and are secured thereto in some suitable way, preferably by the following means: A block, K, extends from the underside of each side bar, and is preferably made separate therefrom and se cured thereto by means of rivets b. Each block has formed in its lower face a socket or cavity, L, designed to fit downover the axle, thus forming shoulders which prevent the axle from moving under the side bars. Before the blocks are riveted to the side bars bolts M are passed through the blocks, so as to lie on opposite sides of the axle, and after a clip-plate, N, is passed .over the lower ends of the bolts, so as to lie against the under side of the axle, nuts 0 are screwed up on the bolts, so as to clamp the axle between the blocks, bolts, and clip-plates, and thus securely bind the parts together.

Under the construction and arrangement of parts described, the two axles are connected together by the side bars, which latter are extended to form the bolster-plate, and the plate extended to form a bearing and brace for the fifth-wheel and a part of the latter, the whole forming a strong, simple, and efficient side bar, bolster-plate, and fifth-wheel inexpensive to manufacture and quickly and easily applied. I have described what I consider the best details of construction for the ends in view; but it is apparent that changes can be made that would be embraced within my invention.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim, and desire to secure by'Letters Patent, is-' 1. The side bars connected together at their forward ends by a bar made integral there- With and forming a bolster-plate, and having corresponding to those of the first plate to form a second leaf of the fiftlrwheel, substantially as described.

3. The combination ofthe fifth-wheel formed ofthe two plates having the extensions con" stituting the leaves and theears for the pas sage of the king-bolt, the side bars connected together at their forward ends by a cross-bar which is bent or curved to form a bearing or brace for the'fifth-wheel, and a clip embracing the lower leaf of the fifth-wheel and the crossbar of the side bars, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the side bars, the rear axle, the blocks depending from the side bars and formed with sockets to embrace the axle, bolts passed through said block on opposite sides of the axle,with their heads lying below the side bar, substantially as shown, and clips and nuts for clamping said parts together, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. I

orro HEINZELMAN.

WVitnesses.-

J. M. HAMILL, XV. A. SNOOK. 

